ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Around the Web

The front page of today’s Independent asks whether scientists have found the cause of ME (myalgic encephalitis), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The newspaper reported that researchers have found a “strong link” with a retrovirus called XMRV. This study compared blood samples from 101 CFS patients with samples from 218 people without it. It found evidence of the XMRV virus in about two-thirds of the people with CFS and less than 4% of people without the disease.

Economic and life recovery: Don’t choose to survive, choose a better life

At the beginning of 2001 my husband Chuck and I lived in a cute little house in a fantastic part of Orange County, California. We had three beautiful girls, two canine kids, four cats and a parade of beta fish. My husband and I had recently incorporated our consulting practice and were experiencing fantastic success with work and wonderful bliss at home. Life was good.

Eight months ago I felt miserable. I was at least 35 pounds overweight and suffered from constant pain in my hips and legs from Fibromyalgia. These were health problems I was surprised to be sidelined by at my age of 34. So many things were going right for me—I was engaged to be married to the love of my life the coming summer, I loved being my girls’ mom and I was excited about my future. But my health just kept holding me back.

Ultrasound therapy is a treatment option usually offered by physical therapists for the treatment of injuries. This ultrasound technique, also called phonophoresis, is used to enhance the delivery of topically applied drugs. An ultrasound gel containing pain relieving ingredients is applied to the skin, and the ultrasound delivers the medicine deep below the skin. It can penetrate the skin to a much deeper level than a massage.

NEWSBRIEF: We now have an update on the FDA’s much-delayed decision on Ampligen for chronic fatigue syndrome that explains why we’ve been kept waiting for so long. William Carter, CEO of Ampligen-manufacturer Hemispherx Biopharma Inc., told BioMedReports that his company has been responding to FDA requests for further information about Ampligen’s toxicology. According to it’s last quarterly report, filed in August, Hemispherx has been working with another laboratory on animal toxicity studies and expects to get a final report to the FDA by late 2009 or early 2010.

Urinary 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin Levels Are Depressed in Chronic Migraine and Several Comorbidities

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the relationship between the urinary concentration of melatonin and migraine comorbidities. These results support hypothalamic involvement in migraine pathophysiology.

Patients’ experiences of living with and receiving treatment for fibromyalgia syndrome: a qualitative study

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) presents a challenge for patients and health care staff across many medical specialities. The aetiology is multi-dimensional, involving somatic, psychological and social factors. Patients’ views were obtained to understand their experience of living with this long-term condition, using qualitative interviews.

Everyday tasks such as going grocery shopping are extremely difficult with fibromyalgia. Yesterday I found myself buying six tubes of toothpaste and several bottles of shampoo. Why? Well, the health and beauty aisle is way over on the other side of the store and sometimes it just uses the very last of my energy. That way I won’t have to go over there for awhile and will have more energy to carry the groceries up the stairs and put them away.